Lip balm

When your lips are chapped or dry, a swipe of lip balm can work wonders. Not only do lip balms protect your lips from the elements, but they also can contain ingredients that actually heal the lips. The base of lip balm is usually some form of wax or wax-like substance. Beeswax, carnauba wax and paraffin are all used as a base for different brands of lip balm including Burt's Bees and Carmex.

Lip salves

Because the lips' skin is so thin, your lips are usually the first part of your body to become dry when exposed to harsh sun or wind. Using a lip salve can keep moisture in your lips and keep the lips comfortable no matter what the conditions outside are like. Lip balm comes in two forms. It can be molded into a tube similar to lipstick. This form is simply swiped across the lips directly from the tube. Lip salve can also come in a small tin, squeezable tube, or jar, in which case you swipe your finger into the balm for manual application.

Medicated Lip Balm

Medicated lip balm contains ingredients that actively promote healing of damaged lips. Other varieties of lip balm include sunscreen with an SPF 15 or above, which protects the lips from UV rays. Because it makes the lips thoroughly moisturized and conditioned, lip balm is sometimes used as a base coat for applying colored lip gloss. Tinted lip balms are also available that add a tint of color to your lips while nourishing and protecting them.